Damper for wind musical instruments



Oct. 29, 1929. A. CORT! DAMPER FOR WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Oct. 24, 1927 IIIIIIII/l/I /III/I/IIIl/l/Il In A VENIbR: J/P/Z Amy/mi B Y AITORNEYQ.

Patented Oct. 29, 1929 PATENT OFFICE ARTURO CORTI, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI DAMPER FOR WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Application filed October 24, 1927.

parently only in those which have been sub jected to some irregularity in the manufacturing process or otherwise. It has been found that the amount of brassy or metallic vibration occurring on the blowing of the low notes will vary according to the skill of the player of the instrument, being greater for those players who have not by long practice acquired great skill in the control of the lips.

It is to be understood, however, that all notes played set up an obnoxious metallic vibration to a more or less degree in some metallic musical instruments, depending upon the skill of 29 the player, and that with the unskilled player the device of the invention will not only dampen metallic noises and mellow the low notes, but will also aid materially in making the entire range of the instrument more mellow and sweeter in tone.

The object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a damper which may be permanently placed within the bell of metallic wind instruments for decreasing metallic vibra tions and which will not decrease the range of the instrument or mute or fiat any of the notes.

With the general objects named in view, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and organization of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side View of a damper embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the damper taken at right angles to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line IIIIII of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side view of a slightly modifled construction.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a saxophone with the device of the invention in operative position.

Serial No. 228,269.

In the drawing, where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the figures, it being understood that the proportion or size of the parts will vary according to the size of the instrument for which the device is intended, A and B respectively indicate upper and lower members or vibration dampers which are preferably of generally triangular shape. each of said members being composed of a block of suitable vibration or shock absorbing material 3, such as leather, rubber or perhaps wood, covered with felt or other non-abrasive cover 4.

The members A and B are securely fastened at right angles to each other on a rod 5 provided with a knob or handle 6 at its upper end for convenience in placing the device in or removing it from position.

In Figure 4 the device is illustrated as it will appear when used in a saxophone, the bell 7 and bend 8 of a saxophone being indicated on which are outlined the customary notes 9, 10, 11 and 12. The device of the invention. is indicated in operative position by dotted lines within the horn, it being noted that the lower member B occupies a position between notes 9 and 10 with the planes of its opposite faces substantially perpendicular to a plane parallel with the surfaces or faces of the sockets 13 of notes 9 and 10, the point of the member 2 resting on the bend of the horn and its wedge-shaped sides being in contact with the inner surfaces of the horn and occupying a position between the notes 9 and 10. The upper member or damper A occupies S a position with its point just above the uppermost stop or note 12 and with its edges bridging the bell and in contact therewith. As it is set at right angles to the damper B, the planes of its sides will be substantially parallel to the plane of the upper edge of socket 14 of the stop 12.

' By placing the device in the position indicated, the tendency of the bell of the horn Q to vibrate periodically and vary from round to elliptical form to an extreme degree resulting in the production of a metallic hum or brassy sound, is damped, as the upper and lower members are at right angles to each Cit other and effectually prevent such extreme movement of the bell.

It is also to be understood in this connection that if the lowermost member B occupies a position parallel to the plane of the sockets, such member interferes to some extent with the proper operation of said notes and tends to deaden, muteor flat them when the saxophone is played. Experiment has also shown that if the two dampers it and B are in alinement with each other, they do not as cifcc= tually prevent extreme vibration of the metal of the bell as they do when placed at right angles to each other. This is apparently due to the fact that the points of contact with the horn are in the same plane and the metal is free to vibrate to an extreme degree between such points of contact.

In Figure l a slightly modified form of damper B is indicated, as experiment has shown that with certaintypes of saxophones and the'like, a damper of the type B flats certain of the notes. The damper B was, therefore, produced to meet this situation, said damper comprising a generally spear or wedge shaped body provided with a large central opening or passageway 15 which ma be provided with a metallic tube or lining 16 as illustrated. It will also be noted that the upper corners of this type of damper are cut away at an angle as indicated at 17. The damper B is preferably placed within-the bell of the instrument at right angles to the position normally occupied by the damper B, the passageway 16 and the cut-away corners 17 allowing suflicient vibration of the'air column and not resulting in the flattingof the notes.

From the above description it-wil-l be apparent that while I have produced a device possessing all of the features of advantage pointed out as desirable, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to make all changes properly falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with thebell of a wind musical instrument, of a vibration damper comprising a pair of blocks of vibration absorbing material within the bell and extending' parallel to the axis thereof and having a pair of their side edges in contact therewith, and means securing said dampers in spaced relation to each other.

2. The combination with the bell of a wind musical instrument, of a vibration damper comprising a pair of blocks of vibration absorbing material within the bell and extending parallel to the axis thereof and at right angles to each other and having a pair of their side edges in contact with said bell-,and means securing said dampers in spaced relation to each other.

3. The combination with thebell of a wind musical instrument, of a block of vibration absorbing material within the bell and extending parallel to the axis of the bell of the instrument and having a pair of side edges in contact with said bell and being formed with a central passageway.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a supporting rod, and a pair of vibration damping members secured to the opposite ends of said rod.

5 A device of the character described, comprising a supporting rod, and a pair of vibration da-mpingmembers secured at right angles to each other on the opposite ends of said rod.

6. Thecombinati'on with the bell of a wind musical instrument, of a supporting rod in said bell, a vibration clamping member carried by one end of the rod and extending substantially parallel to the axis to=the belhand a second damper carriedrbytheiother end of the rod and contacting with the wall of the instrument In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

ARTURO CORTI. 

